5 Video Game Series Crying Out For A 3D Computer Animated Movie

Most movies based on video games tend to be, how should I put this — completely wretched? Yeah, I think that about sums it up. That may be about to change though! Recently it was announced there’s going to be a Ratchet & Clank computer animated movie, which got me thinking — video games and 3D CG cartoons really are a match made in heaven, aren’t they?

Video game characters don’t need to be altered or toned down to work in a CG animated film — Wreck-It Ralph has proven that much. Video game movies finally have the opportunity to escape their low-budget, low-effort Uwe Boll-tainted ghetto, Hollywood just has to pick the right series to adapt. Hit the jump for five video game series I think are crying out for the Pixar treatment…

Star Fox

The Star Fox series is basically The Muppets meets Star Wars — how could that not intrigue Hollywood? In fact, the Star Fox concept may actually work better as a movie (or movies) than as a video game. Nintendo’s been trying (and mostly failing) for years to add something new to the Star Fox gameplay formula, but I think Hollywood could make movies about cute foxes and bunnies flying spaceships and blowing s–t up pretty much indefinitely.

F-Zero

Did you know every car you whiz past in F-Zero has a unique driver with a full backstory? It’s true! The F-Zero series’ universe is weirdly complex, and hey, Hollywood loves to make animated movies about racing. Wreck-It Ralph ended in a big climatic race, and of course there’s the whole Cars series — F-Zero would fit right in.

Monkey Island

Hey Disney! You’re probably not aware of this, but you now own this really great, funny, beloved property just bursting with great characters! Oh, and it’s about pirates! You like pirates! In fact the Monkey Island games were partially based on your Pirates of the Caribbean Disneyland attraction! At the very least, if you want to do a more kid-friendly, animated version of Pirates of the Caribbean, you now know where to go for inspiration.

Castlevania

For whatever reason, recently there’s been a lot of animated movies about monsters, ghosts and all sorts of other stuff kids simultaneously love and are scared s–tless of. Hotel Transylvania, ParaNorman, Frakenweenie, and the list goes on.

Well hey, guess what video game series is a wacky mashup of every classic monster movie you can name? Castlevania! There have been several failed attempts to make a live-action Castlevania movie, but I think the games could be made into a great, slightly more mature, series of PG-rated animated adventures for rad young dudes.

Oddworld

There probably won’t be a new Oddworld game anytime soon because, I dunno, the Oddworld games were challenging and unique and didn’t involve shooting things from a first-person perspective. So yeah, if the video game industry isn’t going to do anything with it, I’d love to see Hollywood tackle the wonderfully odd world of Oddworld. Four different species, each with a fully realized history, a huge multi-layered planet — there’s just so much material to work with here.

Any video game series you think are particularly well suited for the CG animated movie treatment? Leave a comment and let us all know.

Star Fox is more Top Gun in Space than Star Wars. Fox is Maverick because of the daddy issues. Falco’s Iceman because they’re both reluctant dicks. Peppy is Viper, the wise older dude that once flew with Fox’s dad. And finally, Slippy is the bitchboy that has the meltdown in the beginning of the movie. Star Gun… er, Top Fox.